A lot of people thought Louis DeJoy would be shown the door. Postal Service. The Senate finally confirmed President Bidens last two nominees to the Postal Service Board, which means that the President has a majority that can fire Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. He may only do so by removing the members of the Board of Governors and appointing new governors to relieve DeJoy of his duties. According to Government Executive, Martinez has been a strong supporter of DeJoy's leadership, often "defending his controversial decisions, endorsing his 10-year plan to improve postal finances through, among other things, service cuts and price hikes, and calling him the right leader for the Postal Service.". Transporting more than just Christmas cards and periodicals, they deliver medications, and paychecks, and keep rural homes connected to the world. That means that the Biden administration will likely go through 2023as they have through 2021 and 2022with Louis DeJoy as postmaster general, given the current makeup of the U.S. However, to do so, they would need to have a quorum of at least 6 of the 9 governors to have a meeting, in which a vote could take place to fire Louis Dejoy. His biggest concern, he said, is not moving fast enough. privacy request at our Do Not Sell page. But DeJoy has to go right now.https://t.co/86QgDucqwZ pic.twitter.com/1KgknfLdyz. The post office is a hybrid, its supposed to be a service, as some of its aspects are monitored and governed by the U.S. Government. Postal Service, on April 6. For some, it shouldnt matter if the postal service makes a dime, theyre serving the nation but to others, they should be allowed to be privatized and make cuts and calls to be profitable. If he pulls it off, if he can cut inefficiencies while boosting on-time mail delivery and eliminating annual deficits, it will go a long way to reversing the narrative that has defined much of his tenure. Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have He has a vision. Like any public organization, he or she serves at the mercy of their boss, and in this case, that boss would be the board of governors. Postal Service (USPS) to reconsider its decision to update its delivery truck fleet with mostly gasoline-powered vehicles. Postmaster General DeJoys plan to raise costs and cut services is designed to sink the postal service, not save it, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said last year. Jake Johnson is a staff writer for Common Dreams. The board in total is made up of 11 members, 9 of which are Presidentially appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. We need your support in this difficult time. All Rights Reserved. 2023 by Government Media Executive Group LLC. When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect Sponsored: Reimagine Health and Human Services, Fauci: Federal Service is 'Something That all Government Workers Should Be Proud Of', Do Not Sell My For those wondering what it would take to remove Postmaster General Louis DeJoy from his post, there were some developments of note in the Senate . So, why all the hub bub now? For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link. The process. (Video: The Washington Post). The position is voted in and out by, and . For years, this organization has served a vital role in the livelihood of the American way of life. Still, despite a few headlines here and there over the years, I bet youve never thought about the post office too much. She and her allies will not be satisfied until they see investments that capitalize on its unmatched footprint, such as by partnering with federal agencies like the Census Bureau and municipalities for hunting license renewal and public transit purchases (DeJoy noted the Postal Services successful initiative with the Biden administration to distribute hundreds of millions of COVID-19 test kits nationwidehas created a use case for future revenue-generating partnerships). Depending on who you talk to, Louis Dejoy is doing everything in his power to destroy the postal service and cause harm to the people who depend on the reliability and affordability that the postal service provides, and given some of his plans, Im inclined to agree. Above, I gave you a quick rundown on some of the negatives of Louis Dejoys 10-year plan. DeJoy was supportive of the draft reform legislation during February testimony before the House Oversight Committee and also has moved to implement a pilot postal banking program, a longtime goal. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. @2022 - AlterNet Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Virginia Representative Gerry Connolly tweeted that "DeJoy has to go right now" on Wednesday, not long after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality issued letters urging the U.S. The letter, dated August 1, was sent days after DeJoy announced his goal of slashing 50,000 positions from the Postal Service in the coming years, an effort that the 200,000-member American Postal Workers Union (APWU) condemned and vowed to fight. intended if you do so. Invest with us. We have ratty old trucks. He asked us to work as a private-sector company, and he made us be self-sustaining. ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy While perhaps some cities may have too many offices, akin to a Starbucks on every corner, closing one wont affect the area. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and Much like a regular CEO in any private corporate setting, he or she runs the day-to-day operations of the agency, in this case, the U.S. For a brief moment in 2020, Postmaster Gen. Louis DeJoy became the face of Trumpian maladministration. The postmaster general has since given Carley his personal number and the two often talk directly. Bloomberg Surveillance, covering the latest news in finance, economics and investments. Postal Service's decision to replace its aging fleet of delivery trucks with more gas-powered vehicles. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising January 16, 2022 The United States Postal Service (USPS) board has elected an ally of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy as its new chairman, Reuters reports. He also will offer a piece of advice, one perhaps unexpected from the often brash New Yorker. He has also recently faced criticism for a plan to purchase new gas-powered delivery vehicles rather than opting for electric vehicles, which the Biden administration has been encouraging. Postal Service (USPS) extended an unsuccessful pilot program for check cashing services. What that means is that our operating revenues are meant to cover not only our operating expenses but all our capital investments and to repay our debt., DeJoy, in turn, applauded Martinez, saying he has benefited from Martinezs broad experience and wise counsel throughout my tenure as postmaster general and especially during the development of the Delivering for America plan.. Fri, May 13th, 2022 by Jason Easley Louis DeJoy Can Be Fired As Biden Now Has A Majority On Postal Service Board The Senate finally confirmed President Biden's last two nominees to the Postal. Georgia Election Results 2022 Warnock defeats Walker! I hope you can understand and thanks again for the comment! Carley, of United Postmasters, said a lot of the coming changes have been tried in various iterations in the past. He is a transformational leader.. First, thanks for taking the time to comment and yes, youre right! States must work together to end HIV epidemic. The problem here is that until recently, the members of the board were a majority republican, however, now thats changed and could make for some interesting times ahead! Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. Personal Information. When DeJoy says he is going to make a lot of mistakes, it is because he is willing to adapt. And when things go wrong, DeJoy and USPS will course correct. DeJoy has vowed to cut costs and grow revenue, but theconcern over the long term is that his strategy will drive people and businesses away from the maileven more quickly than they have been leaving over the last 20 yearsand Plunkett said he is seeing his marketing members cut the frequency of their campaigns or exit the system altogether. Yet the postmaster general collaborated recently with the White House to successfully deliver 320 million free Covid-19 test kits to American households in an average of less than two days.. Thank you. Even his greatest detractors will admit it could not have happened without him. What does the Postmaster General Do and what powers does he have? With the hopeful intention of turning those non-career employees into full-time career employees and while some reports show that a solid effort has been made, skeptics are still fearful for several hundred other employees who could lose work, for good if their local offices are shuttered. For the postmaster general, that is sort of the point. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary services we are able to offer. Can you be friends with someone with different political views? Louis Dejoy is still Postmaster General because several decades ago, in the 70s, well-intentioned politicians, if thats a thing. Jason has a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. By any objective measure, Louis DeJoy, a top campaign contributor ofDonald Trump, has been, by far and away, the worst postmaster general in the modern history of America, U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders said in a statement in December. New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. tweeted that "Dejoy and his enablers should be removed and thrown into the street for what they've done to your post office," while Illinois Representative Sean Casten urged the expedited confirmation of Biden's board nominees because DeJoy was "attacking the health of our planet.". As The American Prospect's David Dayen explained Wednesday, the president may soon have an opportunity to pave the way for DeJoy's removal by nominating two DeJoy opponents to postal governor spots that will be open in December, when the terms of Republican William Zollars and Democrat Donald Lee Moak--allies of the postmaster general--expire. Martinez, a retired banker, was nominated after President Joe Biden refused to renominate Ron Bloom for another term on the board. He also helped secure $10 billion from Congress as part of pandemic relief, as well as a $3 billion appropriation to purchase electric vehicles. There have been fresh calls for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to be fired after the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bipartisan bill to reform the U.S. Aside from slowing delivery times, Dejoy and his plan will see to the closure of several local post offices in communities across the country. Market Realist is a registered trademark. The Senate, in a voice vote Thursday, confirmed President Joe Bidens two latest members to the USPS Board of Governors. Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies, Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts To his credit, DeJoy supports the measure, saying it is fair, it is needed, and it is urgent.. Michael Shannon keeps us guessing in A Little White Lie. "Moak's presence has been one reason why DeJoy has continued in his position, despite Biden having appointed a majority of the board and all of its other Democrats," Dayen noted. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. He is, after all, facing an FBI. The great actor plays a man of uncertain identity in whimsical and sharply written comedy. DeJoy Is the Trump Appointee Still Menacing Us Reports of an FBI investigation of the Postmaster General should speed his ouster. It wasn't long after DeJoy, a former Republican fundraiser and deputy RNC finance chair, became the postmaster general that he became highly controversial. Very interesting.. That rule something no other federal government agency is required to do has helped drive the postal service toward near-insolvency for years. There have been fresh calls for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to be fired after the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bipartisan bill to reform the U.S. or click here to become a subscriber. The U.S. I have a bachelor's degree in History from Troy University and I'm a ten-year military veteran with both the U.S. Marine Corps and Army. His cozy relationship with Republicanshe took dozens of trips to Capitol Hill to assure wary conservatives of the merits of the legislation and the virtue of his larger visionfinally allowed to happen what lawmakers of both parties had tried and failed to do for a decade. Can you be friends with someone with different political views? Despite Bidens new appointees, Blooms position has put into question whether there is enough support on the board for DeJoy's removal. [] hes no longer in office, hes still in the news cycles and his ilk are currently in office, like, Hi Susan, First, thanks for taking the time to comment and yes, you're right! "The Governors selected Louis DeJoy as Postmaster General because we believed a transformational leader was crucial in order to position the Postal Service for long-term success," Bloom wrote, adding that DeJoy "continues to enjoy the Board's full support as he carries out our 'Delivering for America' plan." DeJoy pushed for the passage of the reform bill and welcomed the Senate votebut there were renewed calls for him to be removed on Tuesday. DeJoy has offered certain olive branches to his sharpest critics. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. When reached for comment by Newsweek on early Wednesday morning, USPS pointed to Tuesday's statement about the postal reform bill. Now would be a good time to also fire DeJoy to #SaveUSPS for future generations," Duckworth tweeted. The Postal Service has struggled with on-time delivery during his tenure. He describes his biggest accomplishment as juicing the place up: namely, getting his management team and the rest of the 650,000 postal employees to embrace a mindset of change. Heres what you need to know about whats next for your mail. What is the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service? The governors of the board, elect or hire the Postmaster General, select a chairman of the Board, and the USPS Inspector General. Martinez was previously nominated by former President Donald Trump and has also gone on record praising DeJoy for his work despite past criticism. Postal Service (USPS). Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Finally, job losses, a lot of them. (Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other Postmaster General Louis DeJoy attends a ceremony at the White House on June 6, 2022. MAGA Heads About to Explode: Elon Musk Declares Twitter Buy on Temporary Hold, Senate Republicans have been placing holds on some nominees, Rep. 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How can this be? The Covid-19 pandemic continues to be catastrophic not only to our health - mental and physical - but also to the stability of millions of people. However, closing a post office in a small town, for instance, could cause a person to have to drive to another town altogether, while it would be a simple inconvenience for some it could be completely impossible for others. DeJoy was a major donor to former President Donald Trump and was appointed to his position during his administration. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org Dan Tangherlini, the former head of the General Services Administration, will serve a term that lasts through December 2027. cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. he added. He has already crossed major pieces of that agenda off the list: the first significantpostal reform bill in 15 years, which is expected to wipe $107 billion off the agencys books; a new pricing structure that has allowed DeJoy to raise rates above inflation; slowing down delivery for some mail to make performance targets more manageable; and stabilizing the workforce by converting more than 100,000 part-time employees to career positions. And during this time, DeJoy will push his plan to save the postal service $58 billion over 10 years by getting rid of hundreds of high-speed mail sorting machines, taking more mailboxes off the street, curbing overtime and hiking prices. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. "This is one of the last opportunities your administration has to appoint governors to the postal board," they added. The board members have the ability to remove or fire others officers, such as the Postmaster General. Its not an easy time to be a mailer, but they dont really have an alternative, Plunkett added. DeJoy certainly deserves his walking papers, having slowed the nations mail during the pandemic and likely attempting to use the postal service to foul up mail-in ballot delivery in a failed bid to help Donald Trump who appointed him to the post in 2020 get reelected as president. Offers may be subject to change without notice. - The New York Times , Board of Governors Announces Selection of Louis DeJoy to Serve . But a way to realistically get us there faster is to have a plan where everyone is on the same page. However, according to at least one member of Congress, that cause has been met. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. "By any objective measure, Louis DeJoy, a top campaign contributor of Donald Trump, has been, by far and away, the worst postmaster general in the modern history of America," U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders said in a statement in December. What does this mean for mail and package delivery. language preference or login information. But the presidents replacements, Derek Kan and Dan Tangherlini, are stalled in a Senate committee waiting approval. A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a Thats only made his recent successes sweeter. The board of governors can both hire and fire the postmaster general. One controversial figure from Trump's presidency, however, remains in office: Louis DeJoy, the notorious postmaster general who almost sabotaged mail voting in the fall and continues to gut. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and As you can imagine, this could prove to be harmful to them, if not downright deadly for people in these areas that depend on the post office for services, especially medications. Postal Service (USPS). While the postmaster general acts as a de facto CEO of the Postal Service, they are controlled by the Board of Governors. "Roman Martinez, a Republican, serves as board chair, despite the fact that Republicans only hold four of the board's nine slots. And that was not here. Good afternoon, everyone and thank you for joining us today. They instruct you how to do things wrong! While the name Postmaster General sounds impressive, essentially whoever serves as the PMG is the chief executive officer or CEO of the United States Postal Service. A lot of people say they don't know exactly what we're doing, DeJoy told Government Executive in a recent interview. DeJoyis converting unused, dilapidated facilities or buying new ones to create mega-centers that can handle all sorts of processes currently spread across dozens of different buildings. So, you know, sort of a crazy thing. In DeJoys mind, his agencys clock is ticking toward irrelevance, and he wants to make sure the Postal Service is around for him to have that saccharine moment with his successor. browser. The new chairman has been an ally of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, defending his controversial decisions, endorsing his 10-year plan to improve postal finances through, among other things . Make a one-time contribution to Alternet All Access, Jake Johnson Aug 18, 2022 You may opt out of our use of such As far as the power they have goes, its limited to within the scope of the postal service. I strive hard to bring you up-to-date information from the top stories of the day to the stories no one is talking about. Under prior leadership, the Postal Service often stuck to its ideas regardless of whether they were working. The PMG does not serve as a member of the Presidents cabinet and is not in the line of succession to the Presidency. Why are so many Americans, Politicians, and presumably you so wound up? The Board of Governors is the governing board of the Postal Service. will require six-day-a-week postal delivery, during the Trump administration and has proven a controversial figure, a plan to purchase new gas-powered delivery vehicles, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. That DeJoy would remain postmaster general for any time longer than what it takes to clean out his desk should be troubling news for anyone who cares about the postal service which should be all of us. The United States Postal Service (USPS) board has elected an ally of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy as its new chairman, Reuters reports. Once the latest Biden appointees are sworn in, Louis DeJoys time as Postmaster General may be coming to an end. DeJoy, a Trump and GOP megadonor, was selected to serve as postmaster general in May 2020, and even news last year that he was facing an FBI investigation for potentially unlawful campaign finance activity during his time as a private logistics executive wasn't enough to harm his job security. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) took to Twitter on Monday to announce the passage of the bill and set his sights on DeJoy. That doesnt bode well for any possibility of change at the postal service. Senators passed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 by a vote of 79 to 19 on Tuesday. They want $25 billion, billion, for the Post Office. It does not store any personal data. information by using this toggle switch. I thought they had two new board members. He can see where there is $35 billion in costs to eliminate, when delivery trucks are running unnecessary routes and how to reduce turnover in the workforce. The Sun-Times welcomes letters to the editor and op-eds. Louis DeJoy plans to spend billions on gas-powered vehicles despite clear goals set by @POTUS and Congress to electrify the federal fleet.I want a full examination of this contract, and I am pursuing a legislative remedy. While on the surface, this sounds okay, the problem lies with the fact that it is those very people and communities that live on the fringes of the country that depend on the post office the most and now would be greatly affected. Last Thursday, a federal judge validated those concerns. Give today. (I love my grans Christmas cards dammit!). But now, as DeJoy heads into his third year at the helm of the agency, the Postal Service is set to emerge from the pandemic with healthier finances and business prospects than most could have imagined. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. And the country. determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and The reason people are so angry about it is a bit of a newer issue altogether. When DeJoy says he is going to "make a lot of mistakes," it is because he is willing to adapt. If nothing else, DeJoys comment again proves that even a busted clock is right twice a day. "With the legislative financial reforms achieved today, combined with our own self-led operational reforms, we will be able to self-fund our operations and continue to deliver to 161 million addresses six days per-week for many decades to come," DeJoy said. A Biden spokesperson last November said the administration has continued concerns about the postmaster generals leadership, as it nominated Kan and Tangherlini to the board. The performance of the Postal Service was so bad that opponents of then-President Donald Trump speculated DeJoy had been appointed to slow down the delivery of mailed ballots for the upcoming presidential election. I could go on at length as to why hes seemingly universally disliked but here is a list of some of the major reasons: They want $3.5 billion for something that will turn out to be fraudulent, thats election money basically. If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have For all of us independent news organizations, its no exception. Federal Scientists Still Worry About Censorship, Podcast: The Spoils System Still Threatens the Civil Service, Shift Left: Achieving Secure Application Modernization with DevSecOps, Dr. Fauci Advises Young Scientists to Stay out of Politics, Two Years of COVID-19 Oversight: A Look Back, Stories of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, I Am Against Retreat: The Louis DeJoy Ethos and the Future of the Postal Service, Nextgov eBook: The State of Cybersecurity. He has a vision. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking We have a terrible network, DeJoy said. In short, no. Dan Avery Writer. Why are so many people angry about Louis Dejoys 10-year plan anyway? She once called her husbands habit weird, so he tried to repress it, but now wants to raise the subject again. Even when mistakes are made, at least they will be happening with purpose, toward an eventual goal. He has two goals: delivering to every American address and covering his costs. I would first like to Congratulate Chairman Martinez on successfully Chairing his first Board meeting. With that kind of performance record, indeed, he shouldve been sent packing by now, but it's complicated. Every reader contribution, no matter the amount, makes a difference in allowing our newsroom to bring you the stories that matter, at a time when being informed is more important than ever. With the Biden presidencys first two months engulfed in the aftermath of the U.S. Capitol insurrection and the passing of the American Rescue Plan, its easy to see why the Louis DeJoy saga has been pushed aside. It has been a year since three other Biden nominees were confirmed by the Senate. And, as DeJoy has come to realize, the bulk of his work and the 10-year transformation plan he unveiled in March 2021 to stem annual losses, reconfigure the agencys decrepit network and reorient its business strategy is barely underway. by Margaret Carlson June 11, 2021 Postmaster General. Why is Louis Dejoy still the Postmaster General? Because of Louis Dejoy, thats why. Unfortunately, its biting us in the rear end now, hopefully the new picks to the board can finally oust this guy! content and messages you see on other websites you visit. "There is a reason why I and others of my colleagues have called for his termination," Congressman Brendan Boyle, who represents parts of Old City, North Philadelphia and Northeast Philadelphia, said at . technologies for the following purposes: We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to Look, I agree. The company was selected over electric vehicle maker Workhorse Group, which went on to file but then voluntarily dismiss a legal challenge over the decision. To many, his lens is too narrowly focused. - "Poynter" fonts provided by fontsempire.com. But Biden certainly undercut that message with Kans nomination. We have a terrible operating strategy.. Look, I agree. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hi, my's name's Adrian Guajardo and I am the owner and currently the sole writer for The District Brief. hes out to destroy the very institution hes been set to run, Straw-Donar scheme at his previous company.